Summary: Aether trusts Ei with a very simple but very important task.

Ei took deep and steady breaths to keep herself from panicking. This was fine. The situation was still salvageable. She deliberately ignored the voice in her head that sounded suspiciously like Paimon telling her that she was completely screwed. The former-archon hurriedly moved through the streets of her former city. Had Inazuma always been so irritatingly vertical? Who designed this city? The Narukami Ogosho likewise ignored the fact that she had been the one to design the layout of Inazuma City. Huffing to herself, Ei adjusted the hood of her cloak to obscure her face as she passed by a patrolling ashigaru.

She was letting herself get distracted. Her objective needed to be accomplished by any means necessary. Slipping into an alleyway, the former Electro Archon paused to catch her breath and thought back to how she'd even gotten into this situation in the first place.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Aether said solemnly as he returned to the manor. "I'm afraid I have... terrible news to share with you."

"What is it?" Zhongli questioned. "Has something befallen Inazuma?"

"Was it the Fatui again?" Venti asked with a grimace.

"Has something happened to Miko?!" Ei asked sharply.

"Worse I'm afraid," the traveler said, shaking his head and causing all three Archons to tense. What could have possibly happened that was so terrible in such a short time?

"I'm afraid we've run out of food."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Is that all?" Zhongli sighed. Venti opened his mouth to comment, but was cut off by the deafening sound of Aether slamming his hand against the table. Ei suddenly felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.

"Is. That. All." The three Archons paled at the smile on the blond's face. It was a smile that spoke of death and destruction. "Is that what I just heard from Mr. Parasite to Society? The very same who has been shamelessly staying here free of charge, eating my food and drinking my osmanthus wine?"

"I —" Zhongli's visage turned stony as he collapsed onto the table in despair, a cloud seeming to hang over his head.

"Aether," Venti tried again. "Don't you think you're being—"

"Did you have something to add, Mr. I Haven't Paid My Tab in 2000 Years?"

Venti grasped his chest as though he had just been dealt a fatal blow before slowly sinking onto the table next to Zhongli. The Anemo Archon weakly looked towards the sole remaining member of the Unemployed Archon Club. "Beelzebul, say something...!"

Aether turned his gaze towards the female Archon. She merely averted her gaze.

"That's what I thought."

"This is awful!" Paimon shouted, floating across the room frantically. "We're gonna starve! We're gonna die!"

"We're not gonna die, Paimon," Aether said with a sigh, finally releasing the pressure he was exerting and allowing the room to relax. "But we do need to resupply." He returned his attention to the three catatonic Archons. "And therein lies our problem. I've been requested by the Yashiro Commission to assist in several affairs regarding the upcoming festivities. I will be assisting Ms. Kamisato Ayaka in planning and logistics for most of the morning.

"After that, the Tenryou Commission has also requested assistance," he continued. "With the Sakoku Decree repealed, Yae Miko has invited foreign dignitaries from Mondstadt and Liyue to re-establish diplomatic ties. To this end, she's taking no chances with their safety and wants Narukami Island completely secured. General Kujou Sara and I will be leading some Hatamoto forces to clear out the remaining pockets of nobushi and treasure hoarders. That will be taking up the afternoon."

"Also, the Kanjou Commission is seeking to revise their foreign policy from the ground up," the traveler said. "They'll be working closely with the Outlanders Affairs Agency and my presence has been requested by both Ms. Hiiragi Chisato and Mr. Kurisu. Likely to act as a neutral third party, given my connections to both sides. That will be taking up most of my evening."

"Finally, I have an important meeting with Miko and her council the next day, so she has graciously offered to host me and Paimon at Tenshukaku." He went on. "It's as much a political move as it is a friendly one. She is many things, but one thing that cannot be denied is that Miko is a very shrewd woman. There's still tension with the Kujou and Hiiragi clan heads about Miko's sudden ascension to Archonhood. Given my current popularity with the general populace and my 'blessing' as you might call it from the Raiden Shogun, keeping me close at hand only strengthens her current position. Either way, I would be hard-pressed to turn down an invitation from a friend, so I will not be returning tonight."

The three Archons simply stared at him with wide eyes. "Er, Aether," Venti said hesitantly. "Is it... really okay for you to be taking on so much work?"

"That's what Paimon said!" Paimon huffed. "By the end of our journey, Aether's gonna be carrying all of Teyvat on his back!"

"I don't mind," Aether shrugged. "I'm always willing to help my friends... to a certain point." He said, glaring at the three gods meaningfully. Said gods shuddered beneath his stare. "Anyway. Like I said. I'll be busy all day and don't have time to be running errands. That means the three of you need to step up."

"Very well," Zhongli nodded. "We shall procure the supplies in your stead..." He paused. "You will be paying for them... yes?"

"Don't worry, Aether!" Venti winked. "We got it under control!"

The blond traveler raised an eyebrow at the two before turning to the final member of the Club.

"Ei, you're in charge. Keep these two in line."

"Damn you, Barbatos!" Ei hissed as she hurried her steps. "Damn you, Morax!"

They'd had a plan; and the plan was that Ei would purchase everything while the other two would carry the bags and stay silent. A very reasonable plan, if she said so herself! Of course, this all went down the drain when almost the instant the three had arrived in Inazuma City, the other two gods had disappeared to Celestia knows where!

She once again adjusted the cloak Aether had lent her. Supposedly it was an upscaled version of the cloak worn by Sayu that the ninja had given to him as a gift. It was absolutely ridiculous (the Shogun refused to admit it was adorable, even if Ei herself gushed over it) but it served its purpose as she stepped onto the main street of Tenryou, the busiest commercial district in Inazuma, completely unrecognized and was relieved to almost immediately spot Venti by his garishly green outfit.

"There you are," Ei whispered sternly once he came within earshot. "Where have you been?"

"Just taking in the sights and sounds," the bard said whimsically. "It's been a thousand years since I last set foot here. A lot has changed since the days of the Empress of Light."

"Indeed," Ei said softly, as memories came bubbling forth; her sister's smile as the two walked the streets of a very different Inazuma. So much has changed. Despite her best efforts to preserve the memory of Inazuma as Makoto would have remembered it. Would her sister even recognize the Inazuma of today? Or would she feel just as lost as she did?

Ei shook her head free of her darkening thoughts and glanced down at the bard's feet. "And I take it the entire crate of sake had nothing to do with your excursion?"

"Ehe~" Venti giggled. "You can't enjoy the beauty of the world without some fine wine in hand; rice or otherwise!"

"Barbatos..." Ei sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "You're lucky Aether took your habits into account when he allotted our funds."

"Of course!" The bard crowed. "Our fair-haired traveler knows me all too well!"

"You aren't the only one he knows too well," the woman narrowed her eyes. "Where is Morax? We have to find him before he buys something ridiculous or expensive. Probably both."

Before he could answer, the two's attention was drawn towards a commotion down the street. A squad of soldiers was rushing towards Tenshukaku with a look of panic on their faces. Ei's eyes narrowed, but before she could jump to a conclusion, she overheard a passerby making a comment.

"Did you hear? Apparently someone defaced the Statue of the Omnipresent God!"

"Really? How?"

"They erected a giant stone pillar on the statue's... private parts."

"Wow!"

"Hey, did you know that someone bought out the Netsuke no Gen Crafts' entire stock of amethyst chopsticks?"

"Aren't those things 100,000 mora per set?!"

"Talk about a high roller!"

Slowly, Ei raised her palm and placed it against her face. Venti merely giggled behind her.

"I hate you both. So much."

Sep 2, 2021 Update: Changed Ei's recollections of the previous Archon to be that of her sister rather than the "Lightning Emperor" that I'd originally come up with. I even think it fits better with the original wistfulness that Venti brought up.